


Wandless Magic

by MarshmallowMcGonagall



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Crossover, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-06-29 16:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19834522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarshmallowMcGonagall/pseuds/MarshmallowMcGonagall
Summary: Years after what happened in Forks, Bella finds Hermione in London. Bella is on the edge of the wizarding world with her own not far behind, and Hermione is staring at the woman she thought she would never see again.(Fic not abandoned.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started on Tumblr, as a response to wondering what Hermione and Bella would be like together. Not least when Bella is Bella Swan, and not Bellatrix Lestrange. I wrote this chapter that night, and then spent the rest of the night writing notes. I don't know how long or short this will be, but I am quietly enjoying this story that's emerged. The chapter as follows is what is on Tumblr, with the exception of a typo that I removed (I suspect I missed others).

Their eyes met across the London street. Hermione about to duck into The Leaky Cauldron. Bella on a brief stop-over on a hunt that she thought would have taken years. Years since she'd last seen that bushy head of hair escape her in Seattle's airport. Years since having narrowly avoided the jet of light meant to obliviate her, that Hermione had cast with tears in her determined eyes.

Hermione had time to yell, "Protego!" and dive inside The Leaky Cauldron. She stood with her back pinning the door closed and looked up into the eyes of Draco Malfoy. What was it with these pale creatures? At least this one was blond.

"Granger," he said, quietly pleased to see Hermione flustered at his appearance. His expression softened to concern as he took in the sight of the witch who kept looking over her shoulder, as though she'd be able to see through the solid wood if only she tried hard enough.

"Not the moment, Malfoy" she said, then caved to the desperate urge to know more. "The window, can you look out the window."

She pointed to the grubby window a few feet away that had likely not been cleaned since the Wizengamot ruling of 1645 on window cleaning.

"Hiding from lover boy," he said, approaching the window. "What is the weasel -"

"Girl," she said, softly, and at that, the memories of Forks that she had tried to suppress for so long broke through. Little moments with Bella, fractions of memories, snippets of joy and forests and them, slipped through Hermione's resolution like the pitter patter of Washington state rain on the forest canopy. She followed Draco to the window and placed her hand on the dimpled glass.

"Girl?" said Draco.

"Girl," said Hermione. She stared at the woman who couldn't see her but who hadn't moved from her spot, and whispered, "Bella."

"Bella?" said Draco, his spine stiffened and his hand went straight for his wand as he followed Hermione's gaze to the pale woman with long dark hair, unable to take in more through the fog of war long past and the dirty windows. "She's dead." The words had tumbled out of their own volition. He had seen his aunt die, hundreds of people had. She was dead. Gone. No longer of this world.

Hermione was still staring out of the window but moved her hand from the glass to Draco's wand arm and slid her hand so that it was around his and said, "Scourgify."

"Granger," he hissed, startled from his panic. "You can't do that! It isn't appropriate, it isn't -"

"If the next word out of your mouth is "ladylike" I will hex you," she said, "and it will be wandless, and embarrassing for 24 to 48 hours."

Her heart wasn't in the threat, though. She was staring at a woman that Draco could see now wasn't his aunt.

"I'm sorry," she said, glancing at him, "the first time I heard her name I nearly hexed her, too. And by hex, I mean Ginny took my wand and stopped an international incident."

"You're a menace," he said, slipping his wand back in his pocket. "But now that we've established you aren't all doe eyed for my aunt, who's the girl?"

"Bella Swan," said Hermione, and her hand was on her mouth, as if she could stop the name going further than her lips.

Draco returned his gaze to Hermione.

"You've got it bad for her, haven't you?" he said.

She closed her eyes and nodded.

"Well, why don't you go out there and see her?" he said. "What, does she bite or something?"

Hermione couldn't stop a nervous laugh escaping her and looked at Draco.

"Oh, she's something," said Hermione.


	2. Chapter 2

Bella stared at the old shop front with broken windows and peeling paint, where Hermione had disappeared. There was no crowd for Hermione to have disappeared into on the other side of Charing Cross Road. No vehicles driving by to block her view. Bella had seen Hermione appear and disappear.

This Hermione was different to the one who had existed only in Bella's memory since their parting at Sea-Tac Airport. The Hermione that Bella saw in her daydreams and at night. And in the precious moments in between, where Bella was unsure whether she was dreaming or not. This Hermione was real, the one who Bella had spent weeks with in Forks, not a reconstruction in her mind. Bella's fingers tingled. Passing traffic stirred up the breeze and whipped her hair around her face. She could all but touch this Hermione. She had been so close. And she had disappeared.

Jacob strolled up beside her, his phone back in his pocket, and looked at the shabby little pub with tiny latticed windows nestled between a bookshop and music store. He glanced at Bella, then back across the road. They had been in London for two weeks and made ten bookshop stops. When they stopped at pubs which Alice declared acceptable, Jacob ate double portions while Alice and Bella shared a dish that Alice wouldn't eat and Bella would only pick at. Jacob knew from a glance that Alice wouldn't set foot in the pub across the road.

"If you want to go to the bookshop, we'll go," said Jacob. "I won't hold it against you that in your pursuit of true love, you stopped to buy another book."

"Bookshop?" said Bella, not taking her eyes off the spot where Hermione had disappeared.

"Isn't that what you're staring at?" he said.

Bella shook her head. Her lips moved with a silent plea that Jacob couldn't make out.

Hermione could disappear into thin air, she could appear out of thin air. Bella fought to remember what Hermione had called it.

Under the cool canopy of the forest, a few miles east of Forks, Bella put the map and compass back in her pocket. Ginny was tramping from tree to tree, running her fingers over the bark, as if she might discern something from being able to touch them. Hermione was a 100 yards back, her boot laces caught on a fallen branch.

"Come on, witch," said Bella. "Too used to flying a broom everywhere, huh?"

Ginny was overcome with a coughing fit and Hermione grinned. She stood up. Wand in hand, she turned on the spot, and disappeared with a pop. Bella didn't have time to finish swearing before there was another pop and Hermione, with her halo of bushy hair, reappeared right in front of her. Hermione stumbled but her smile didn't falter, and the two women reached for each other. Already close, they were now nose to nose. Bella's laugh grew from a surprised giggle to delighted laugh as she wrapped her arms around Hermione.

"Nice landing," said Ginny, with a mischievous grin.

"I'm not great with brooms," said Hermione, her cheeks pink. "But there are other ways to travel when you're a witch."

"No kidding," said Bella. "Can - can you take people like me when you do that?"

Hermione looked back to Ginny, and said, "Race you back to the truck? On the count of three?"

"Sure," said Ginny, nodding as she pulled out her wand. Then she yelled, "Three!" and disappeared with a pop, her laugh going with her, in the space of a turn. Hermione laughed and looked back at Bella, who was staring awe-struck at the space where Ginny had been.

"You have to hold on tight," said Hermione. Her wand hand hung by her side, the tip of her wand lazily tracing invisible patterns above the ground. Her other hand was just above the flannel shirt tied around Bella's waist, the soft t-shirt all that was between them. Bella nodded. Both women tightened their grip on each other. Hermione's top had ridden up and crumpled where Bella held her. The forest disappeared and what Bella would remember most wasn't the crushing sensation of apparition but Hermione pressed against her.

"Bella," said Jacob, pulling her back from the edge of the pavement. Her foot had lifted as though she were about to step out into traffic. "What's going on?"

"Hermione," she said, "I saw Hermione over there, in front of that deserted old shop, and then she just disappeared. Disapparated. She disapparated! It's a kind of magic she can do, and she saw me, Jacob, I know she saw me, and I swear I can still feel her."

Jacob closed his eyes for a moment, he knew Hermione was a witch, but the disappearing trick was a new one. He looked back across the road and frowned.

"Deserted old shop?" he said. "There's an old pub, but apart from that the shops are all open and busy."

"Pub?" said Bella. She held onto Jacob. Her stomach turned. Hermione had talked about magic places and muggles. And how the two were often mutually exclusive. But not always. Not always. "Where?"

"Right there," he said, "across the road between the music store and the bookshop. It's black and needs a window cleaner and the sign hanging above the door has a - a cauldron on it." Jacob swore.

Bella reached out for his hand and he intertwined his fingers with hers.

"You're magic," she said, and a small laugh escaped her. She squeezed his hand and the heat radiating from him soaked into her cold skin. "I told you that you were. We have to go over there."

"To somewhere you can't see?" he said, shifting uncomfortably where he stood. "Bella, I don't know. I might be magic, or whatever, but I can't do spells. Who knows what's back there?"

"You promised," said Bella, letting go of his hand. "And she's there, I know she is. We have to go."

"She's got company," said Draco. "Is that why you're hiding from her?"

"Jacob?" said Hermione, her head tilting to the side as she saw Bella's friend walk up to her and follow her gaze. Jacob was magic. He would be able to see the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione swore under her breath.

"Boyfriend?" said Draco. Hermione was never as subtle as she wanted to be, not least when she was emotional.

"Shape-shifter," said Hermione. "He can see us." She stepped back from the window, not taking her eyes off Bella. Hermione's delight was beginning to give way to wondering what Bella was doing here. Bella was here. Across the road. And with Jacob. What had happened to Edward? She was too far away to see if there was a wedding ring, but close enough to see that Bella was still human. Still muggle.

"Shape-shifter?" said Draco. "Where did you find this woman? And why is she here with her boyfriend?"

"They're from Washington State," said Hermione. "The second time Luna went missing. Ginny was the only one who knew, I mean, until now."

"Granger, that was years ago," said Draco.

"I tried to obliviate her," Hermione whispered, and at last she looked away from the window, her hands covering her face. "She was about to get married. She had family, Draco, I - I couldn't take her away from that." Draco pulled her into his arms, pushing her bushy hair back so he could press his lips to her forehead. "I'm eight years older than her." Hermione sunk into what had been her safe place for so long. "She's a muggle."

"You sure can pick them, Hermione," said Draco.

Bella willed the old shop to transform into what Jacob could see and stepped into the road. Her unwavering focus had no regard for such trivial matters as traffic. There was a screech of tires from the already slowing vehicles that masked her screams when Jacob lunged for her.

The screech of tires penetrated the grime of the Leaky Cauldron with earsplitting clarity. Hermione and Draco broke apart and instinctively drew their wands and held onto each other with their free hands. Three buses occupied their view of where Bella had been. One of the buses had swerved. Hermione ran for the door and Draco didn't think of not following her.

The wizard who had disillusioned himself when Draco came into the pub, rose from his excellent spectator seat. The tapping of his cane was lost in the rush of Hermione and Draco's exit. He slipped through the door and followed them into muggle London.


	3. Chapter 3

Draco followed Hermione because of Pansy Parkinson. His breakup with Pansy during the summer before fifth year had not gone well. Namely, Pansy still considered them to be together. Not one to let her displeasure at Draco's behaviour go unheeded, Pansy had her - hitherto only suspected - powers of persuasion confirmed to those who knew what to look for, when the Ravenclaw Head Girl agreed to Pansy's suggestion that Draco be partnered with Hermione Granger for the entirety of his fifth year prefect patrols. When Draco had blown up in the prefect meeting, hurling the usual threats to write to his father, the Head Girl kept her composure and reaffirmed that Pansy's suggestion had merit and there would be no further discussion. The Head Girl's swollen lips and mussed hair were questioned by the other girls in her dormitory room later that night but the prefect patrols remained as agreed, and Draco never did write to his father.

It took until the Christmas holidays for Draco and Hermione to have an accord that could be considered civil if one squinted and ignored the arguments. When classes resumed in January, their civility was given a nudge by Ron's suggestion during a prefect meeting that Hermione wasn't safe with Draco. Hermione knew she could look after herself and wasn't about to be cowed by Malfoy. Or Ron. Draco was surprised that Weasley was openly underestimating Granger. Draco didn't like Granger, but she wasn't stupid or slow on the draw. He had the scars to prove it.

It was almost Easter when at best, Draco and Hermione had started to share snippets of life with each other, and at worst, they patrolled the corridors without talking. Or hexing. Then Dumbledore's Army was discovered and the Inquisitorial Squad was formed. Years later, Hermione said war wasn't known for its whispered sweet nothings. Draco tried to smile, tried to say something adequate. Hermione had squeezed his hand. His guilt would never leave him. She knew better than to suggest otherwise.

The summer holidays were almost upon them when Hermione came face to face with Draco. She was on her way back to Gryffindor Tower after escorting a miffed third year Hufflepuff back to their common room, minus their Firewhiskey. Draco's father was in Azkaban. Hermione was not long free of the hospital wing. The kitchens are nearby, she blurted out. Draco gave a small nod, and they walked to the kitchens. Hermione tickled the pear, which tricked something resembling a smile from Draco. She suggested he order hot chocolates. She said nothing when he thanked the house-elves. They sat in a quiet corner, on a small wooden bench, and drank the hot chocolate that was brought to Draco with grace and to Hermione with a wariness. Mugs handed back, the house-elves shooed them out. Draco and Hermione stopped at the point where their paths diverged to their respective common rooms. Deep breaths and awkward smiles filled the silence. Hermione reached out and took Draco's hand. Their grasp lasted only moments. Draco never did tell Hermione that the feel of her hand in his was one of the few happy places in his mind during the long summer that followed. Hermione let go and they walked away from each other.

September and sixth year should have brought Hermione and Draco back together on their prefect patrols, but Draco declined to show up to meetings and Hermione dismissed the new Hufflepuff Head Girl's concerns, and did the patrols alone.

October barged in with the intention of making it clear to all that autumn was here and winter wasn't far away. On a clear cold night when Hermione was patrolling the castle, she almost passed the Astronomy Tower before noticing the door up to the Tower wasn't properly closed. She glanced around and slipped inside. Her footsteps on the stone stairs echoed around her. At the top, she found Draco leaning against a wall, staring at the night's sky. She walked up to him and stopped a little closer than perhaps either of them expected. She asked if he really did enjoy looking at himself that much. He laughed but didn't look away from the constellation that was his namesake. Draco put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him. He didn't have time to consider what he was doing beyond how natural it felt to bring Hermione closer. The October night had no patience for teenage whims and soon, despite their robes and heavy cloaks, they were shivering. He asked if she could stay. For just a bit longer, he said, letting a little of the Malfoy whine sneak in.

Hermione took Draco's hand and led him down the stairs and out of the Astronomy Tower. When they arrived at the corridor with a tapestry of dancing trolls hung across one wall, Draco baulked. Hermione wondered if she had been too bold, and reassured him they could go slowly. She thought this might be warmer, more private, and less dramatic than the Astronomy Tower. She suggested he ask the Room of Requirement to provide a space for them. She held onto her courage when he made her do it. A door appeared on the third pass Hermione made of the wall, and in the distance, footsteps were getting louder. The teenagers grabbed each other's hands and ran in, slamming the door shut behind them. They heard the footsteps stop outside the door then carry on. They didn't see Snape roll his eyes and smirk. At least, he thought, Draco had managed to make one good decision.

They said Lumos at the same time and glanced at each other, their smiles lit by firelight and wand-light. Draco and Hermione's eyes began to adjust to the lingering darkness and they saw what the small but determined fire could illuminate from the fireplace. There was a bed. They took tentative steps into the room, their grip on each other unchanged, stopping only when the heat of the fire reached them. Draco never did ask Hermione what she had asked the Room of Requirement for. They both said Nox.

Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist when she moved to slide his unbuttoned shirt over his shoulders. She knew Harry's suspicions. Draco was sure she knew why he wouldn't take his shirt off, especially after the episode in Madam Malkin's. The unspoken spiral of who knew what built until Hermione kissed Draco, her hormones making the decision for her until her brain could catch up. Draco's shame took its leave for the night, likewise vetoed by his hormones, until morning when it could make a reappearance. He otherwise needed no convincing to escape the world with this witch. Draco kept the shirt on, even when everything else came off the pair, unveiling Hermione's curse scar in the process. Second thoughts were relegated to the next morning, though in the end, they didn't deign to show up.

The Room of Requirement was their safe place and didn't change over the months that followed. Draco did change. Hermione would trace the lines of his body that had become too lean. His skin too pale. The shirt stayed on. There were nights when all he wanted was to hold her close and sleep for a couple of hours. There were nights when they talked about what they would do after. They never said what came before the after. They never questioned whether they would both be alive and free in the after. They talked about a Malfoy cottage on the Isle of Skye. It had belonged to a Malfoy grandfather, so many greats before that Draco couldn't recall, who had wanted somewhere isolated to indulge in his love of experimenting with potions. Draco had discovered the paperwork for the cottage many years prior. A place his mother had called a glorified doghouse. During the Easter holidays, he had apparated there once. Draco told Hermione about the cottage, the island, the quiet. He didn't tell her that after being there for twenty minutes, he had broken down crying. He had seen the tiny windswept paradise and wanted nothing more than to track down Hermione, escape with her, and just be. It was the one time he knew she wouldn't come, no matter how much he begged.

Draco lay in bed in the hospital wing, and a faint light seeped out from Madam Pomfrey's office despite the late hour. He had been staring at the ceiling, wincing each time he took a breath that was too deep, when he saw the otter patronus scamper up the bed. The otter lay on his chest and he instinctively reached to touch it. Before he could reach the lithe otter, the patronus had faded away.

Harry told Hermione that Draco had lowered his wand. She cried for Dumbledore and Draco. She cried for everything shared and everything hidden. She cried for the after that had become closer and more uncertain than ever.

In Shell Cottage, Hermione was still weak from torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, when an otter patronus appeared at her side one night. The otter pressed its head against Hermione's before dissipating into mist. The other occupants of Shell Cottage were astounded that she could produce a wandless patronus. Ollivander spoke of how magic could be unstable in the wake of trauma. Hermione glanced at Luna, and in Luna's gaze, saw that she knew.

Summer was beginning to distance itself from the world, the trials were over, and something that passed for normality resumed. An unassuming owl waited at the open window in Hermione's small kitchen. She gave the owl a treat, took the envelope, and stepped out of the owl's way, watching it hop over the sink before taking flight. Hermione opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. A map fell out and tumbled to the floor. She sunk to the floor and read the letter twice. Her finger ran back and forth across the map. She took a couple of deep breaths, locked up the flat, and scrambled to find floo powder. It was a minor miracle that Luna was where Hermione had hoped she would be. Luna didn't need to ask the questions everyone else would want to. Back in the quiet of her flat, the fire extinguished, Hermione held the beaded handbag, now with the letter and map inside, that she had emptied and repacked each week in the hopes of a letter arriving. Grasping her wand, she turned. Determination, destination, and deliberation came to her with a rush of ease.

Draco's letter said he would be at the Quiraing in two day's time at midday. Hermione opened her eyes and regained her footing. Spires of rock broke apart the landscape, green cliffs swept around mountains, and Draco was standing a few feet away, his simple robes billowing in the winds that tumbled through the landscape. He stared at her, as if willing himself to believe she was real. She walked up to him and when they put their arms around each other, she wondered if she would ever be able to let go. His voice was thick when he told her to hold on. Another turn and they were inside the Malfoy cottage.

Snape knew where Draco was. The letter from his godson had been a welcome relief from the rest of the owls he received. Hermione wrote to Ginny who read the letter then accidentally dropped it in the fire when Harry asked who had written the letter which she had whipped out from the pile of morning post. His grimace when she explained it was a letter from Hermione about monthly troubles was enough to distract him. Ginny trusted Hermione. She would share what she wanted to when the time was right. Everyone was still trying to survive in their own ways, no matter what the Daily Prophet published about the never ending joy of a war won.

Hermione and Draco would retreat to the cottage for weeks at a time, and sometimes a night, when that was all that life would allow. Years snuck past them and over those last few months, Draco wondered if the change he saw in her was something like what she had felt watching him during their sixth year. Escaping the world together.

The Daily Prophet never went long without publishing a piece about the Golden Trio. Or the Death Eaters. Draco had retreated from wizarding society, save for the appearances he made because of donations made to worthy causes. Unlike his parents, throwing money at charities hadn't washed away any of his guilt. His parents were champion compartmentalizers. Lucius and Narcissa were happy to show wizarding Britain that they were repentant, and still rich, no matter how much they paid to atone for their wrongdoings.

Hermione knew she and Draco existed in hidden places. They were each other's safe haven. Draco could see the cogs turning in her mind over the months, trying to figure out how to make everything work. Her friends, her work, her life. An ordinary life. Their cottage. She would keep trying to take it all on. Unless he stopped her.

Draco had spent years in differing levels of expectation that Hermione would walk away. He would drive her away. She would grow tired of him. She would stop loving him. He didn't expect he would be the one to say stop. Hermione collapsed in relief and grief. Draco didn't doubt this was a good decision. That was perhaps the part which hurt most. He didn't doubt that she still loved him. She knew he loved her. They spent that last weekend enduring the aftershocks, saying the closest they could to goodbye. When words didn't come, they ensured each other did.

Once or twice a year, they would owl each other and agree a time and date. They would sit on the machair, with mugs of Firewhiskey spiked hot chocolate, and watch the waves crash against the shore. Heavy cloaks and warming charms kept them there talking long into the night. Harry thought Ginny was the reason Hermione knew more about quidditch and Lucius thought Draco was trying to rehabilitate his image when he talked about house-elves rights. Draco and Hermione would say their farewells while they could still apparate safely. With each parting their hearts were a little less heavy and their friendship grew roots deeper than all but a few could even begin to guess at.

Draco and Hermione ran towards the screams of the woman who Hermione, with a heart full of doubt, had nearly obliviated, and Draco had the fleeting thought that someday he would have to tell Hermione when Luna had gone missing - the second time - the anonymous benefactor for the expedition had been Pansy Parkinson.


	4. Chapter 4

The day was overcast with bursts of sunshine and Alice was wearing a hat which defied belief in its breadth. Alice believed in buying to wear, not to keep stored in perfection never to be worn, and the hat she was wearing was an excellent specimen from a millinery she had been desperate to visit. The gloves were a perfect fit, as were the shoes. The dress was spectacular. She was a vision, and she knew it. Envious glances followed her down the street, though the people she entranced were quick to turn away for reasons they didn't quite understand.

Alice's phone rang and she did the shopping bag dance. With a graceful sweep of her arm, she puzzled a group of passersby when she slid a small shops worth of bags onto one arm, used the other to grab her phone, and carried on prancing down the street.

"Hello," said Alice.

"Hey," said Jacob, "we're still on Charing Cross Road, are you done with your milling shop?"

"Millinery," said Alice, and she gave a delicate sniff. "I'm done for now. How is Bella?"

"I'm peachy, thanks for asking," he said. "Bella is ... Alice, I think this is starting to take a toll on her. She's been staring across the road at a row of shops for five minutes now."

"I know," said Alice, "we promised her, though. The Highlands, London, and France."

"It's never going to be enough," said Jacob, lowering his voice. Bella was still comfortably in sight but far enough away that she wouldn't hear him. "I could ace a history test on witchcraft at this point, but we haven't found a trace of Hermione."

"We promised," said Alice, meekly. "Look, you two will need to eat, and well, maybe we can leave early for France."

"Sure," said Jacob. "You'll find us?"

"Give me ten minutes," said Alice, and she ended the call.

Alice was all but skipping through the hotel. She had found a vintage Dior dress for Rosalie which she pined for each time she saw it in books or on television. Alice had found another vintage Dior and she suspected Rosalie might fight her for it. Which is why it had made perfect sense to buy the third vintage Dior, so as to distract Rosalie from the one Alice wanted for herself.

Alice stepped out of the hotel and heard the scream. Bella's scream. Alice groaned. She knew that scream too well. Passersby scowled at fellow pedestrians as something flew past them. Alice homed in on the scream with practiced efficiency. The scream cut out a second before Alice saw Jacob guiding Bella into an alleyway.

"I'm sorry," said Bella, sobbing. "I'm so, so sorry." There was a bus driver near them, and they'd come to a stop. Alice could hear his protests that it wasn't possible Bella could be okay. Alice could also see Hermione running towards them with a man by her side. The bus driver jumped when Alice appeared beside them. Bella had turned to face Jacob and he had his arms around her. The bus had come out of nowhere. The newest memory of Hermione jolted out of place by the screeching tires and Jacob's ironclad grip on her.

"You're safe, you're okay," said Jacob. He repeated the words a handful of times, stopping when he caught sight of Hermione. "Damn," he whispered, as Bella's shock unfurled in waves of tears.

"She will be fine," said Alice, with a disconcerting brightness. She couldn't smell blood and, as much as she could, she trusted Jacob.

"It - it's not possible that he could grab her so quickly," said the bus driver, staring at Jacob who towered over the still sobbing Bella. "I was so sure I was going to hit her, not that I meant to, of course -"

"It's amazing what adrenaline can do, isn't it?" said Draco. Alice looked at the blond in smart robes and was overcome with an urge to ask him who his tailor was. She saw Hermione beside him in less sophisticated robes but nonetheless, this was Bella's Hermione, and she was staring at Bella in Jacob's arms.

"Yes," said Alice, stepping closer to the bus driver. "Now sir, you get back to your passengers and we'll see that our friend is okay." She flashed him a smile and he nodded, unsure of anything except wanting to both obey Alice and get away from her. Alice turned and went to Bella's side. "Bella? Bella are you okay?"

Hermione and Draco stood a few feet away. Hermione swayed slightly and Draco put his hand on her shoulder. She reached up to touch his fingers. Bella was here. Bella was here in Jacob's arms, and Alice was at her side.

"I'm sorry," said Bella, wriggling her arms so that she could wipe her face. "I'm so sorry, I just, I saw her, Alice, I saw Hermione and she disappeared but I know she was over there."

"I'm here," said Hermione, summoning her scattered courage. Bella lifted her head and peered past Alice. Draco squeezed Hermione's shoulder.

"Hermione?" said Bella. She had the echoes of the feeling between sleep and waking, and trying to discern which is which. There was a man with Hermione. Was he a friend? An ex? A not-ex? In her dreams, Bella never saw Hermione with a man. "Hermione!" Jacob slid his arms from around Bella and she ran the few feet towards Hermione who wrapped her arms around Bella. Their embrace was fuelled by the fierce desire to know that the other woman was real. Hands threaded through hair and grasped waists. Their chests rose and fell with the ragged inhalations and exhalations of the first deep breaths taken in years. Hands moved and touched soft skin and the trace of a pulse beneath that had only been in dreams since too long ago. Real, real, real.

"I can hear sirens and I think they're coming our way," said Alice. She looked at Hermione and Bella, and at the shape-shifter and wizard. There wasn't a simple way to get them all out of here and she knew Bella wasn't about to let Hermione out of her sight. She had seen passengers on the bus take out their phones and it appeared despite scaring off the bus driver, someone had called for help. "We have a couple of minutes."

With sniffing and apologetic smiles, Hermione and Bella pulled away from each other. Their fingers lingered on each other until they stepped back further, realising that they'd rather skipped past the hellos and how are yous. Bella and Hermione looked at each other and their gazes lingered on each other's lips. Hermione hadn't thought she would see Bella again, hadn't known if Bella would want to see her again. Bella had been beginning to think she might not find a trace of Hermione, even with the thought in the back of her mind that she would never stop looking. Hermione glanced at Bella's left hand and tried to steady her breathing.

Draco tore his attention from Hermione and Bella so that he could look at the petite woman properly. The second glance trickled its way through memories of old DADA lessons and encounters with his father's associates. The textbooks had glossed over the part where vampires sparkled in sunlight. There were only a couple of spots that weren't hidden by well chosen accessories, though. It certainly explained why his previous encounters with vampires in darker places of the world had been less illuminating.

"Draco," said Hermione. Bella stared at the striking man. This was Draco? Oh. She wondered if she looked hard enough, she might be able to see which threads held him and Hermione together. "We can't have the police getting involved. The ministry would get involved and if the Daily Prophet got hold of a story, we have to -"

"Draco?" said Jacob. "Like Dracula?" He snorted when Alice wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Bella had been sitting on the porch of the small A-frame lodge Hermione and Ginny had booked for their stay in Forks. Hermione was sitting beside her, back against the lodge and legs stretched out along the wooden deck. Ginny came out with a tray of drinks levitating in front of her and stared at Bella with a look of puzzlement.

"It's just coffee," said Ginny. "I swear I didn't slip any potions into it."

"It's - it's just the tray is in mid-air," said Bella, the warmth of her blush sweeping across her cheeks. "There's nothing holding it up."

"It's okay," said Hermione, a dreamy expression winding its way through her. "I remember how amazing it was when I found out I was a witch, that magic was real, and this feeling of awe just took over. The whole of our first year at Hogwarts had this buzz of excitement underneath everything, even the tough times, and I wondered if I would get to stay, or if it was some big mistake, because it was the most incredible thing I'd ever experienced."

"You make it sound like sex," said Ginny, grinning when Bella coughed. Ginny lowered herself to the deck and levitated the tray towards Hermione and Bella.

"Oh, Merlin," said Hermione, taking a mug of steaming coffee for herself and handing one to Bella, "be gentle, I don't know if I can stomach hearing about you and Harry having sex without lots of Firewhiskey being involved."

"Is Harry your brother?" said Bella.

"No," said Hermione, shaking her head. "I'm an only child." She took a deep breath and Ginny stretched her foot to nudge Hermione's toes. "But Harry is like a brother, we went to Hogwarts together. What about you?"

"Only child," said Bella.

"And I have six brothers," said Ginny, raising her mug of coffee as if to give a toast and looking at it with some disappointment. Firewhiskey would have been good on an evening like this. The fraying edges of sunset cast the world in gold and they could have been in total isolation for all that the forest gave away of what lay beyond.

"Six?" said Bella, sure she must have misheard.

"Six," said Ginny, "and I'm the youngest."

"Um, wow," said Bella. "That must have been crazy when you were growing up."

"We had our moments," said Ginny. Hermione let slip an empty laugh. Ginny decided to test the waters. "Still do. One of them thought he was in a relationship with Hermione."

Hermione leant her head back and turned to look at Bella. "We were Harry's best friends at Hogwarts," said Hermione. "And when that one," she pointed at Ginny, "hooked up with Harry again after we finished school, Ron seemed to remember I was a girl."

"And you didn't want to go out with him?" said Bella, looking at Ginny when she laughed.

"I was, uh, there was someone else," said Hermione.

"Not that any of us knew," said Ginny.

"Was he the enemy?" said Bella, teasing. Hermione and Ginny tensed up. "Oh my God, I didn't mean, I'm sorry - "

"We wanted to protect each other," said Hermione.

"There was a war," said Ginny. She still found it strange that there could be people in the world who didn't know about Voldemort. She didn't find it strange that Hermione wasn't confessing to being part of the Golden Trio that had helped win the war.

"What was his name?" said Bella. "Not that you have to tell me, I mean, only if you wanted to."

Ginny looked at Hermione and Bella, the two women nestled in the gloaming and sharing furtive glances.

Harry had been sound asleep after a long day at the ministry and Ginny was polishing her broom, whispering sweet nothings to it after the day's stellar practice, when the fireplace roared with green flames and Hermione stumbled out. Ginny flung her broom to the floor and hugged her friend. Hermione looked around the room and cast a Muffliato. She told Ginny about the weekend. About how Draco had called time on them. About how she knew they still loved each other. About how she knew it was for the best. Ginny listened while Hermione poured her heart out, stroking her back, and hoping this really was for the best. Ginny reassured Hermione that Harry would want to know but there was no convincing her. When dawn threatened to break, Hermione flooed back to her flat with apologies for keeping Ginny up all night, and Ginny stared at the fireplace shaking her head. It was going to take someone special to show Hermione she could fall in love again.

Bella was sitting close to Hermione but not quite close enough to touch. Maybe it wasn't going to take as long as Ginny had feared for Hermione to find someone whose touch was magic.

"Draco," said Hermione. Her smile was soft, and to Ginny's relief, no longer full of pain at the mention of his name.

"Draco?" said Bella. "Like Dracula?"

Hermione shook her head and Ginny laughed.

"Like dragon," said Draco, with some irritation. His well practiced Malfoy glare wasn't quelling Jacob's laughter. He looked at Hermione. "We could side-along them, but you don't look safe to apparate."

"No," said Hermione. "No, I don't think I am." She looked at Bella again, and the thrill that had coursed through her when she first apparated with Bella echoed inside her, but she knew there was too much risk of splinching. "We can't just dive into Diagon Alley, either, we might as well just run to the Daily Prophet offices."

"What about a Portkey?" said Draco, avoiding her gaze. "I might have one."

"A completely legal one?" said Hermione, straightening up and regaining a semblance of composure. The sirens were in the distance and Alice coughed before pointing towards the road. She didn't like the sound of a Portkey but she was here to keep Bella safe and right now, that appeared to mean magic. "Of course you do." Hermione groaned. "Where to?"

"The cottage," he said. A police car and ambulance were in sight now. Hermione's composure faltered. "But we will have to go now."

"Everyone hold on," said Hermione, glancing at Bella, Alice, and Jacob, "you can not let go until we land, and you will know when we land, but you must hold on until then."

Hermione grabbed Draco's hand, while the other pulled a small pouch from his robes. Bella took Hermione's hand, and Alice and Jacob glanced at each other, rolled their eyes, and held hands, with Jacob also taking Bella's free hand. They saw Draco open the pouch with runes on it. There was only the glimpse of a gold coin in his hand before they were all tumbling through the unknown. They missed the crack of apparition. The universe dumped them on a wooden floor. Draco, Hermione, and Alice had all kept their footing, though Hermione suspected Alice had simply stood up at a speed none of them could see. Jacob and Bella were getting up from the floor when Bella screamed, "Wraith!"


	5. Chapter 5

What Bella saw were billowing black robes. Whilst there may have been a hint of a person inside them, the day so far had taken a considerable toll on her sensibilities, as had the weeks before their London stay, spent holed up in the Highlands. Bella had scoured all sorts of bookshops for obscure texts on witchcraft in Britain. She and Alice read while Jacob shifted into a werewolf and ran, covering hundreds of miles of the Highlands in the hope of finding a trace of Hermione. Bella was thorough, and read everything she could get her hands on, brand new books with stiff spines or old and yellow with pages falling out. She fell asleep with books, cooked meals for herself and Jacob while reading books propped up by spare pans, read books in the bath. When she had no option but to shower, Alice would sit outside the bathroom door and read aloud. Any mention of the occult drew her interest. And the occult was very interested in wraiths.

Jacob and Alice, used to both Bella's overreactions and her capacity to attract the unexpected and dangerous, swept her out of the way and took on defensive stances. A wraith was a welcome distraction from the after effects of whatever a Portkey was. Neither of them had a desire to repeat the experience.

Hermione and Draco had wands out and were at each other's side, hands grasped and hidden by their robes. A furious Snape was standing in front of them, and under the weight of his glare, they lowered their wands. Ah, so there wasn't a wraith.

Jacob, Alice, and Bella relaxed their stances a fraction when they saw Hermione and Draco lower their defences. Jacob and Alice were focused on the man who was staring down Hermione and Draco. The only weapon he appeared to be wielding was his expression. Bella was watching Hermione and Draco. They'd been prepared to fight, and to fight together.

Bella's stomach twisted when she saw the waterfall of black fabric between them. It was impossible to be that close and not be touching. Holding hands.

Snape was surveying the varyingly terrified occupants of the room, and when his piercing stare graced Bella, Hermione's own gaze followed. Bella only had eyes for Hermione. A frantic tension was playing itself out in Bella's body until Hermione met Bella's gaze. Hermione took her first real breath since Snape had made himself known, and her body stilled. Draco squeezed Hermione's fingers under the safety of exquisite and sufficient robes. Bella saw the silver otter slink out of Hermione's wand and slip across the floor. The otter wound its way around Bella's feet before dissipating into mist then disappearing altogether.

"Must you wear your heart on your sleeve?" said Snape, his voice tinged by something few would know as pain.

Bella blinked, entranced by the deep voice of the domineering man. Heart on her sleeve? Bella's heart jumped at that.

Snape turned on Draco and Hermione but pointed his wand at the other intruders and said, "I shall expect an explanation." Jacob snorted and Alice made a ladylike cough. They wanted explanations, too.

Snape crossed his arms. Anyone else would see the faintest twitch of the wand still in his hand as nothing more than the idiosyncrasies of a body that had evidently known war. Draco and Hermione knew better than to raise their wands in response to the silent jinx Snape fired at the swathe of cloth between them. Another jet of light and the fire in the fireplace behind them roared into life. The trio watching each figured there to have been only one spell.

War had taught Draco and Hermione too much. Their capacity to acknowledge but otherwise ignore pain was a reflex neither was free of. Their fingers twitched when the jinx hit them. They still held on. Snape had not wanted nor expected to be interrupted here. And Snape had no problem expressing this in a way that would, in his expectation, make the point hit home. Draco and Hermione knew the jinx could be a warning or a starting point.

"Severus," said Draco, nodding his head in brief greeting.

"Sir," said Hermione. Her smile was tight and Draco shot her a glance.

"Oh do stop it, Miss Granger," drawled Snape. "No one is fooled by your attempt at circumventing another of yours and Draco's forays into impropriety with formalities."

Draco could feel the remnants of panic in Hermione's touch. He stroked her hand and she squeezed back.

The watching trio all sported bemused expressions. This was a side of Hermione they had never seen before. Bella saw how Hermione and Draco fit together. There was no awkwardness in their close proximity. Edward's presence in Bella's life was either a totality or a sun in a cloudless sky. She had known the cold darkness and known the warm light. She could see Hermione and Draco existed in a different space; well trodden, and comfortable. For years and years. Bella and Hermione had weeks, they had hazy days of forests and cloudy skies. Bella had been in the dark with Hermione, and felt fire, not ice.

"Nox," said Hermione.

They didn't need wand-light, standing a few feet apart in a pool of moonlight.

"Shut your eyes," said Bella.

Hermione closed her eyes as if under an enchantment. She stood still, bare feet on the bare wooden floor. There was no fire lit but warmth flooded the room. Hermione thought she might be on the edge of sleep, her body heavy with comfort, if not for the edges of magic sparking at her fingertips. Bella's footsteps were a whisper through the room.

Bella watched the witch surrender. Bella lifted her hands to her own abdomen as if she needed reassurance she was still breathing. She watched Hermione, somehow wild and content all at once, standing so close to her. Bella licked her lips, amazed they didn't still smoulder from the brief moment when their lips had first met. Bella knew she needed the cloak of darkness to experience fully what she feared she might lose the chance to do more than dream of.

Bella closed the distance and brought herself closer to Hermione, hesitating when she felt Hermione's breath. She was so close. Bella wondered if this was how Jacob felt when he shifted; caught on the edge of one world and another.

"Can I kiss you?" said Bella, her lips already brushing Hermione's.

Hermione's answer of yes was lost, burned away, when she leaned a fraction closer to bring her mouth to Bella's. Hermione hadn't known if she would ever want to feel another's lips on hers. Bella bit her lip and pressed her mouth to Hermione's again. Bella didn't think it would be possible to tire of Hermione's soft lips against her own.

Hermione parted her lips and Bella gasped. Bella stepped back and saw Hermione's eyes lit up by the moonlight. Hermione reached out and let her hand trace across Bella's abdomen.

"What's wrong?" said Hermione. She forced herself to take deep breaths. "It's okay if you don't want to."

"No," said Bella, "no, it's not that, it's just I've never kissed like that before."

Hermione frowned and Bella stared at the floor.

"Edward, the whole vampire thing," said Bella, "it's been - it was - there were chaste kisses only."

Hermione looked at Bella and saw what she had seen in the mirror so many times. The worry that it might go wrong. That it might not go wrong, but with no idea how to do it, no plan, no way to prepare except to do. Hermione reached out, and a thrill raced up her spine when Bella took Hermione's proffered hand.

"I don't have any books about how to do those kinds of kisses," said Hermione, closing the distance between them. Bella stretched her fingers so that she could hold Hermione's hand more fully. Hermione reached up between them with her free hand and traced her fingers over Bella's mouth. "But I can show you what those kisses are like, if you want me to."

"Please," said Bella, aching to feel Hermione again. "Please, kiss me."

Hermione's hand stroked Bella's cheek and moved up until her fingers were lost in Bella's hair. Hermione leaned in and pressed her lips to Bella's. When Hermione's lips parted and her tongue traced Bella's mouth just as her fingers had, Bella's own lips parted, and Bella learned what books had never been able to teach her.

Their grip on each other didn't loosen. Bella's free hand found Hermione's waist, sliding beneath her top. Bella's hand drifted across Hermione's soft body until it settled in the small of her back. Hermione moaned when Bella's hand settled on her, and she deepened their kiss. Bella let her eyes drift open and closed them again, a moan escaping her at the sight of Hermione's closed eyes and long lashes.

Bella was longing to be closer to Hermione. Her heart fluttered. Just a little closer.

"I'm sorry we've interrupted you," said Draco. He had relaxed a little now that it was clear Snape wasn't going to Avada him on the spot. "We were giving our friends a tour and mixed up our Portkeys."

"Must I still remind you to be more thorough," said Snape. He stared at the front door. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," he muttered, and pointed his wand at the door. "Homenum Revelio."

There was a glow of light around the room, and both Draco and Hermione were intrigued to see the glow encompassing Jacob and Alice, too. Snape however, was striding towards the front door which he flung open. The door slammed against the wall and there was a cough from outside which made Draco and Hermione's eyes widen. Draco swore under his breath. Jacob was considering this whole afternoon would have been much easier had there been popcorn on hand. Alice was desperate to call Rosalie because these clothes had to be seen to be believed.

"Lucius," said Snape. "How did you ever survive the war?"

"You're more paranoid than the Dark Lord was, Severus," said Lucius, adjusting his collar and cuffs. He deigned to survey the room. "Draco, don't be rude, we are in need of introductions."

Draco and Hermione let go of each other. Draco rubbed his face and looked at the ceiling. His father had followed them. Of course he had. Merlin forbid Lucius Malfoy not let his nose get the better of him.

"Father, this is Hermione Granger, and this is Severus Snape," said Draco, gesturing to the witch and wizard. Snape allowed himself a smirk and Hermione worked hard to school her expression into something appropriate. Lucius's eyes narrowed and Draco caved. He gestured across the room and said, "Jacob, Alice, Bella, this is my father, the inescapable Lucius Malfoy."

There was a smattering of hellos from the bemused trio.

"Americans?" said Lucius.

"That a problem?" said Jacob, rolling his shoulders and straightening up.

"I think the problem might be that Lucius hasn't realised what you are," said Snape, his enquiring face focusing on Jacob until Jacob took a step back. Magic radiated off the man and the short-haired woman.

"Werewolf," said Jacob. Snape and Lucius stiffened and went for their wands.

"Shape-shifter," said Hermione. "I mean, our werewolves are the full moon type, just so we're clear."

"Yes," said Snape. "Be clear."

Jacob swore, strode past everyone and walked out of the cottage through the still open door. Bella and Alice shared a knowing glance. A few seconds later a giant wolf squeezed itself through the door. The wolf sauntered up to Snape, a man never before thought of as small, and let out a small growl. Snape looked like he had swallowed something unpleasant.

"Shape-shifter," said Snape, his voice still terrifying to those who didn't know him. Lucius, however, had known the man since they were children and was having to employ every ounce of Malfoy manners he had to maintain his composure.

The wolf growled again and sauntered back out of the house. Jacob's return took longer than his initial change. He came back in, shrugging on his hoodie, and muttering something about clothes.

Lucius slapped Snape on the back.

"Shape-shifter," Lucius agreed. "And your other friends, Draco?" He held his hand out to Alice. "Miss - ?"

"Cullen," supplied Alice, who shook his hand. His eyebrows shot up at the touch of her hand and the chance to give her more than a passing glance. Alice saw his appraisal and spared him the agony of assessing further the etiquette he needed to employ. "Vampire," she said. "And vegetarian." Her smile was pure innocence, spoiled only somewhat by Jacob's snort.

"Vegetarian?" said Lucius, as if he were asking which her preferred vintage was.

"Animals only," she said, her gold eyes molten in the soft afternoon light. "Family tradition."

"Coven, surely?" said Snape, his curiosity getting the better of him, even as he kept an eye on Jacob.

"Depends on when we last hunted," she said, sweetly, and winked at Snape who huffed.

Lucius chuckled. "My dear, you are quite a delight, aren't you?" he said. "Pray tell, how old are you?"

"I've been a 100 for a few years," she said.

"Ah, one of your peers, Lucius," said Snape. Draco and Hermione were overcome with spontaneous coughing fits.

Lucius wrinkled his nose in displeasure. "Miss Granger, I am most concerned that you and Draco may have something contagious. Are you quite well?"

"Fine, absolutely fine," said Hermione, gasping, "it's just a little dusty in here." Draco caught her fingertips and stroked her palm.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"And you must be Miss -?" said Lucius, having turned his attention on Bella.

"Bella Swan," said Bella, her chest rising and falling rapidly as Lucius reached out to take her hand. Her gaze kept flickering between Lucius and Snape.

"Is everything okay, my dear?" said Lucius.

"I - I'm having Colonel Brandon flashbacks," said Bella, looking at Snape. She bit her lip and glanced at Hermione. Hermione's smile made Bella's heart sing. Alice was looking at Snape in a new light, and if she could still have blushed, there would have been a distinct pink tinge on her delicate cheeks. Hermione looked at Snape, who glanced at her, eyebrow raised and smirking, and at that precise moment, Hermione remembered that Snape was a half-blood. He knew exactly what Bella was talking about. Hermione blushed enough for both herself and Alice.

The other men in the room looked on in confusion. Lucius attempted to retrieve the situation. With the self-assurance of being Sacred Twenty-Eight, of being a Malfoy, he said, "Do I remind you of anyone?"

"Captain Hook," said Bella, who immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to say it out loud. She really hadn't. "It - it's the cane, and the boots …"

Snape didn't try to hide that he was laughing. Jacob was roaring with laughter. Alice and Hermione were startled from their Colonel Brandon flashbacks too quickly to try and remain polite.

"Who?" muttered Draco.

"Pirate," said Hermione, keeping her voice low as Lucius tried to rally. Draco snorted.

"And what magic do you have?" Lucius asked Bella.

The temperature in the room dropped. Lucius might only have guessed, but everyone else knew.

"I'm not magic," said Bella, looking at the floor.

"A muggle?" said Lucius.

Hermione's stomach turned at how Lucius could turn that word into a threat. And for the second time that day, she yelled, "Protego!"


	6. Chapter 6

“Welcome to Newton’s Olympic Outfitters, I’m Bella, can I help you?” said Bella, walking towards one of the women who had come into the store a few minutes earlier. 

Bella knew magic. Bella knew Edward was a vampire and Jacob was a shape-shifter. When the woman she approached spun, pinning her with a gaze that promised danger, and pointing a length of elegantly carved wood at Bella, being scared was Bella’s second thought. Her first thought was that this woman was magic. 

The woman’s redheaded companion drew her own wand and said, “Expelliarmus.” A jet of red light raced towards Bella, and the wand which had been pointed at her flew from the woman’s hand to be caught by her companion with a lazy excellence. Bella watched the redhead’s hand curl around the wand while still in motion, as if someone had dropped it into her palm.

Mike walked around the aisle in the outdoor supplies store, ready to try and shift some of the old stock onto the two tourists, and didn’t have the opportunity to embrace his confusion before the disarmed woman held out her hand and said, “Stupefy.” Another jet of red light emerged from the air around her hand and felled Mike. He was on the floor before Bella could turn to see he was the woman’s target.

“What have you done?” said Bella, scrambling to the floor and grabbing Mike’s wrist to find his pulse.

“I will Stupefy you in a minute,” said the redhead to her companion before turning back to Bella. “He’s fine, really. You can stop fondling him.”

“I’m not fondling him,” said Bella, “I want to know he’s alive, and - and, oh God, what would I tell the EMTs? He fell, I can tell them he fell. Mike? Mike, can you hear me?”

“Why aren’t you running away?” said the redhead. “Or screaming? And you’re wasting your time talking to him, he’s going to be out for a while.” She gestured towards Mike with indifference. “No worse than a bludger to the head.”

“What’s a bludger?” said Bella, withdrawing her hands from Mike’s wrist. She’d found a pulse and could see he was breathing. “And I’m scared, don’t worry, I am terrified right now, but magic isn’t new to me.”

“You’re a witch?” said the woman who had felled Mike. Her brow furrowed, looking Bella up and down as if she’d missed something the first few times. She peered at Bella’s name badge.

“Witch?” said Bella. “No, I, uh, I know vampires and shape-shifters. Are you witches?” Bella let slip a nervous laugh and rose from the floor, grabbing a shelf to keep her balance, and dusted off her jeans. “Why not meet a witch? Witches.” The redhead laughed and even her companion was tricked into a grudging smile.

These women hadn’t denied being witches and Bella couldn’t stop herself staring. The redhead looked like an athlete, with her lithe body and the suggestion of subtly honed muscles. Bella’s knowledge of witches didn’t extend much beyond broomsticks, and she didn’t see how they could be a sporting endeavour. Perhaps the redhead spent her time running after black cats. Her companion was staring at Bella, as if she was awaiting Bella’s verdict. Bella looked at the woman dressed in sensible layers and had the fleeting thought of wondering what she looked like without her clothes on. The woman’s eyebrow quirked upwards and Bella bit her lip and averted her gaze.

“I’m Ginny,” said the redhead, who was looking at Bella as though she was the oddity. “This is Hermione.”

“I’m Bella,” said Bella. Hermione. The woman was called Hermione. Bella looked at her again, drawn to her as if having a choice in the matter was an untenable concept.

“Yes,” said Ginny, drawing out the word. “Hermione?”

“Yes?” said Hermione. Ginny was enjoying this, and Hermione was tempted to Langlock her. Ginny coughed. “I’m sorry I scared you, I - I was taken by surprise.” Ginny’s smile softened and she reached out to stroke Hermione’s arm before handing back her wand. 

Ginny and Hermione were sitting on the porch, watching the sunset, when Ginny shuffled closer to Hermione.

“I’m sorry for calling you out on Bella’s name earlier,” said Ginny. “It wasn’t funny, I know - ”

“Stop,” said Hermione. “I’ve got to get over it some time, haven’t I?”

“I’ve been casting a Muffliato every night we’ve been here,” said Ginny, the dark circles under her eyes more prominent as they considered how long they could put off going to bed, “and I don’t even have the excuse of wanting to spare you the embarrassment of hearing Harry and me.”

“I cast it, too,” said Hermione. She held her mug of tea close to her chest and without thinking, slipped her other hand under her top to touch the long curse scar that transected her body. Every night was different and some mornings she could let herself believe things were changing at more than a flobberworm’s pace. That morning she had woken from a night where not only had Bellatrix Lestrange visited her but Antonin Dolohov, too. Hermione ached to wake up because of someone else. Someone who made her ache with joy, not panic. Smiling sadly, she withdrew her hand and stared out at the forest. “I’m glad you and Harry have each other.”

“It’s okay,” said Bella, “really.”

“It really isn’t,” said Hermione. “Who else is here?”

“Just us,” said Bella. “Why?”

“We are witches,” said Ginny.

“I figured as much,” said Bella. “The wands and lights sort of gave it away.”

“Why aren’t you scared?” said Hermione, as though Bella was misbehaving.

“I wasn’t kidding about the vampires and shape-shifters,” said Bella.

“And you?” said Hermione.

“I’m just human,” said Bella, with a shrug and an empty smile. Hermione and Ginny glanced at each other, both thrown off kilter by the pain in the young woman’s voice.

There was a groan from the floor and the three women looked down at Mike. Hermione and Ginny swore. Hermione raised her wand and winced when Bella flinched. Ginny smiled apologetically at Bella. 

“Obliviate,” said Hermione. A green jet of light hit Mike and Bella swore. She looked up and Ginny held a finger to her lips. A red jet of light followed when Hermione said, “Rennervate.”

Mike groaned again and tried to sit up. Ginny and Hermione slipped their wands out of sight.

“Are you okay?” said Bella, crouching down beside Mike.

“Yeah,” said Ginny, “that was a nasty fall.”

Bella glanced at Ginny who shrugged.

“I think you hit your head,” said Hermione. “Do you want us to call an ambulance for you?”

Mike stared up at the two English tourists and rubbed the back of his head. It was the strangest thing; he had walked into the aisle and woken up on the floor. Rucksacks, that was it. He had been planning to sell off old stock. Then he woke up on the floor. They were right, it must have been a nasty fall.

“No,” he said. “I’m okay, can I interest you ladies in some of our excellent rucksacks? I see you haven’t got anything and we have a range of great brands.”

Hermione’s beaded bag hung from the crook of her arm. She smiled at Mike.

“Actually, Bella was going to take my friend and I for a tour of the town,” said Hermione. Bella’s eyebrows shot up and she bit her lip.

“Oh,” said Mike. “Are you sure? Bella’s only been here for a couple of years, if you want a great tour I could - ”

“We’ve already made plans with Bella,” said Ginny. “And we want to get started as soon as possible.”

“Well, I suppose you’ll have to go,” said Mike, looking at Bella, who was trying to regain her composure. Was she about to be kidnapped by witches? “It’s not busy, so I guess I’ll just finish up the shift.”

Ginny was already heading out the door and Hermione only lingered for a moment before following.

“Thanks Mike,” said Bella, “I’ll see you next shift, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” said Mike. He rubbed the back of his head while he watched Bella follow the two tourists out of the store. None of them looked back.

“It’s like a hippogriff was transfigured into a car,” said Ginny, walking around Bella’s truck behind the store. “Should I bow to it before getting in?”

Bella had her hand on the hood of the truck and was staring at Ginny with more fear than she had felt since being on the wrong end of Hermione’s wand.

“Hippogriffs are real?” said Bella. Witches she could deal with. Vampires and shape-shifters, too. She could deal with anything that could be described, albeit with a bit of wild gesticulating, as human.

“You’ve heard of hippogriffs?” said Hermione.

“I read,” said Bella, as if this was the obvious answer. Hermione blushed and Ginny smirked. “But hippogriffs? Really?” She looked up at the sky and laughed in disbelief. “I guess unicorns and dragons are real, too, huh?”

“Yes,” said Ginny, brightly.

Bella leant back against the truck and in her distracted state, lost her footing. She slipped and tried to grab the bumper but hit the gravel anyway. Ginny and Hermione ran the few steps to her, and Bella tensed.

“Bella?” said Hermione. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing,” said Bella, taking a moment to register that bleeding around these women wasn’t likely to put her life at risk. Danger magnet, she thought. Followed by the notion that she could do without fainting. “Are unicorns and dragons really real?”

“Can I have a look?” said Hermione, pointing to Bella’s hand which had taken the brunt of the bumper and the gravel. Bella looked at Hermione and nodded. “Ginny, since you started this, you can tell Bella about unicorns and dragons while I heal her.”

Bella held out her hand and Ginny launched into an explanation about magical creatures that would have made Hagrid beam with pride. Hermione laughed to herself. They hadn’t ignored the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy so much as trampled all over it like a herd of hippogriffs. Hermione glanced up at Bella who was trying to pay attention to both Ginny’s crash course in magical creatures and Hermione’s ministrations. Hermione had her wand out and was muttering incantations over Bella’s grazed hand. Her hand healed faster even than she had seen Jacob’s hand heal after he cut himself in her kitchen. Her skin tingled like it had been plunged into hot water and then cold. This was magic. She knew Jacob was magic. Ginny and Hermione were magic. Bella knew she wasn’t magic. She had known all along, but the reminder was like an emotional papercut. She choked back the beginning of bad memories; it had been a papercut that had almost killed her once. Hermione held Bella’s hand in her own. Her thumbs stroking Bella’s hand to check her handiwork. Her wandwork. Bella's heartbeat quickened and she held her breath. She didn’t notice Ginny had stopped talking. Hermione’s wand was on the ground but that didn’t seem to matter. At Hermione’s touch, Bella knew magic in the way Hermione ran her fingers across Bella’s hand which no longer showed a trace of injury. Bella glanced at Hermione and caught herself being watched by the witch who was holding her hand. This was magic. Bella didn’t know what else to attribute the feeling to which was coursing its way deeper through her body with each stroke of Hermione’s fingers.

The first time Hermione drew her wand on Bella, it was with danger in her gaze and anger saturating her body. Standing in the cottage with sunlight filtering through the uneven old glass, Hermione turned towards Bella, and Bella watched Hermione draw her wand. Hermione looked otherworldly cast in the golden light and when her gaze caught Bella's, Bella saw danger again but now it was infused with something entirely different. Deep inside Bella, a heat stirred. She had found Hermione. A cold dread chased the heat through Bella's veins. She and Hermione were from different worlds. Jacob caught Bella when she staggered backwards from the force of Hermione's Protego and the heaviness of wondering if their worlds could find a space to exist in.


	7. Chapter 7

Silence split the room. Jacob held Bella, her back against his chest, his arms around her. Alice stepped closer to them. Jacob and Alice exchanged a glance. They didn't know the meaning of what Lucius said, but they both heard the threat. When Hermione yelled, "Protego!" they knew the threat was real.

Lucius swept his long hair back and rose, scowling, from the floor. He stared at Hermione with a predatory look in his eyes. His wand was out but he hadn't raised his arm.

Snape made no attempt to be subtle when he crossed the room towards Bella, Jacob, and Alice. Snape's wand was out and hung at his side. He held his finger to his lips when Alice looked like she might speak. Lucius didn't need his help, and his help wasn't what Hermione needed. Or who Hermione needed.

Hermione's arm was still extended, wand pointing at the blank space in the room where a chair lay broken on the floor. She clung onto Draco with her free hand behind her as if somehow Draco could pull her back from what she had toppled into. Her gaze swung from Lucius to Bella. Snape flanked Jacob and Hermione knew this wasn't over.

Draco looked at his father, dishevelled and suddenly aged. The fine dust of debris that Hermione had caused settled into the lines on Lucius's face, and Draco saw his father in a light he hadn't thought he would see again.

Alice heard Bella's heart rate speed up and the rustle of her clothes against Jacob's grip. Alice required no prescience to put her hand to Bella's lips and mouth her own warning. Bella sunk against Jacob, her acquiescence absent minded, and still she wanted to yell out that they didn't need to fight because of her. She knew she was a muggle. She could leave. She knew their worlds were too different. Bella knew her feet would betray her if she got free of Jacob's grasp. She wanted to push past Snape and Alice. She wanted to be the one comforting Hermione.

Hermione stepped back and kept her wand arm extended. Her wand swept through the air with ease to the place where Lucius stood. She saw him flex his fingers around his wand. Draco flexed his fingers around Hermione's and held on.

The air crackled with magic.

"My, you are quick to the draw, aren't you Miss Granger?" said Lucius. "And all over a muggle."

"We're not so different, then," said Hermione, through the fog of old memories. She swept aside the possibility of guilt when she saw Lucius begin to raise his wand. Too often she had been his prey.

"Whatever do you mean?" said Lucius, as if it were all some polite misunderstanding.

"How can you be so cruel?" said Hermione. The air she breathed was thick and she had to force it in and out of her body. Draco stroked her hand. He longed to draw his wand and help her. He knew it was the last thing she wanted. Her laugh was strangled and didn't startle anyone, so much as freeze them where they stood. Her knuckles were white where they held onto her wand and Draco. "Are you so loyal? Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater?"

"That didn't seem to bother you when it came to my son," spat Lucius.

And like the sky heavy with storm clouds, the lightning could be reigned in no longer. Their wands began to move at the same time, but Hermione was the first to strike. Red jet followed red jet as Hermione hurled hexes at Lucius who managed to do little more than defend himself, caught off guard at the sharpness of her aim and the force of her magic.

Alice nodded and whispered her thanks when she saw the shield Snape had cast around them. Jacob watched the fight with a growing disbelief that Lucius wasn't admitting defeat. Bella had never doubted that Hermione could fight; she doubted that Draco could still be an ex. He stared down his father and Draco's cold aura seemed to keep the space around him and Hermione frozen. There was no doubt Draco had chosen a side a long time ago. Hermione's body moved as she cast spell after spell, each swish and flick and soaring slash forcing the heavy fabric of her robes to follow her and unveil their held hands.

Books fell off bookshelves and ornaments crumbled to dust before they hit the floor. Cushions tore apart from deflected hexes. Snape's half empty cup of tea clattered to the ground, the crockery shattering and the tea soaking scattered book pages. The curtains began to curl with flame and Draco put out the fire while he watched his father fight to keep his ground. Hermione paused for the length of a breath and Lucius yelled out a curse with savage determination.

The force of the curse against Hermione's shield pushed her back against Draco. Snape snarled in disgust at the curse which clung to legality by a thread. Lucius let his wand slip lower while he sneered at Hermione. His grasp tightened a moment too late and Hermione's hex hit his body before he could finish casting a shield. Lucius lay Stupefied on the floor, limbs sprawled across the scuffed wood. Bella's breathing stuttered. Hermione had cast that spell on Mike when they first met. Bella realised what Hermione meant when she said intention mattered.

Hermione, Ginny, and Bella were making another trek through the forest. There was only so much magic they could do before they had to fall back on searching by foot. Hermione and Ginny knew where each sizeable fairy ring was in this particular tract of forest, the clearings visible from the sky and some on maps. None had any traces of magic but nonetheless they searched the surrounding areas for any trace of Luna.

The temperature had climbed without anyone noticing. The day was overcast and with moments of drizzle that escaped notice because the air was already heavy with water and the shade of little difference to the open sky.

Bella suspected Hermione was humouring her each time she asked Bella to check the map. Compass in hand, Bella checked their route for the third time that morning, looking up at Hermione when she shrugged off her shirt.

Hermione had reached a point where sweat was dripping down her back. The sensible layers she had put on when she dressed had been comfortable over the past few days. Today's weather had betrayed her. It had been enough that her hair had taken leave of its senses in the humidity but now the rest of her was uncomfortable, too. She put her wand and beaded bag on the ground, took off her shirt, tied it around her waist, and picked up her wand and beaded bag.

Ginny had already transfigured her trousers into shorts and was muttering threats under her breath regarding what she would do to Luna when they found her. It shouldn't be possible to be so humid and cooling charms so ineffective.

"I miss Nargles," said Ginny, wistfully, stirring up a mound of leaves with a charm and letting them fall back to the ground with a wet thud. She would have given anything to see a radish or a Butterbeer cork.

"What?" said Bella, glancing in confusion at Ginny.

"Nargles," said Ginny. "They're -"

"Hermione!" said Bella, and her hand flew to her mouth, bringing the compass slamming against her cheek. She winced at the sharp pain but couldn't take her eyes off Hermione. Hermione had reached up to wipe sweat from her face and Bella saw a word carved along the length of Hermione's forearm that looked like a fresh wound.

Hermione raised her wand and ran to Bella, only realising what the threat was when Bella's eyes fell once again to her arm. Ginny joined them and when Hermione staggered back, Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand. Hermione tried to shake off Ginny, but resigned herself to the touch. Running wouldn't help. Not where they were. For the space of a breath, she longed for the sweeping embrace of Draco and the Quiraing. When Hermione opened her eyes, Bella was like a deer caught in the headlights, while Ginny was rubbing her own face with her free hand.

Hermione covered up because she couldn't stomach the pity in people's eyes when they saw the scar. She covered up because it undeniably identified her as one third of the Golden Trio. She couldn't pass off the comparisons to Hermione Granger, she had to hear whatever people demanded she listen to, their forceful sympathies unavoidable lest the onlookers grab the chance to tarnish her as they saw fit. The scar turned her into an object; a transfiguration she knew paled in comparison to Harry's. Harry knew this, not least when Ginny enlightened him on her return from a particularly bad trip to Diagon Alley. Harry had tried to talk to Hermione, but to no avail. He had taken to sneaking notes into books that he bought her. Harry and Hermione bought and lent each other a lot of books. A smuggled note was easier than a well meaning chat.

Glamours weren't worth the trouble. As soon as people recognised her, they expected to see the scar. If they didn't, it raised the notion that she was ashamed of her heritage and didn't want to be known as a muggle-born, rather than that the slur was horrific. And if Hermione Granger, heroine of the Golden Trio, thought being a muggle-born was shameful? Within hours of the articles the Daily Prophet published, Harry and Draco - neither man with hesitation - sat down together to plot legal revenge on the Daily Prophet while Remus and Tonks tried to persuade what remained of Dumbledore's Army not to storm the offices of the Daily Prophet. As it turned out, Dumbledore's Army had Sirius on side. Within ten minutes, so was Tonks. Tonks flooed work, promised the rest of the auror department that if they helped, drinks afterwards in the Leaky Cauldron would be on Sirius's tab, and she had Remus in a full body bind. The Daily Prophet's retraction had been impressive, the pay out significant. And yet Hermione hadn't cast a glamour again, she simply covered up, with rare exceptions of exceptional company or when she was alone.

"You're injured," said Bella, wondering why Hermione hadn't healed herself, why the wound was a word. Bella hadn't thought to bring her own first aid kit, knowing she would be with Hermione and Ginny. "You need to see a doctor or - "

"Stop," said Ginny, "Hermione doesn't need a healer."

Bella's brow furrowed and she bit her lip. She wanted to trust Ginny, but what she saw was a wounded Hermione.

"It's a cursed scar," said Hermione, flatly. There was nowhere to look except the sky, and even then she closed her eyes. "It won't ever heal the way a scar should."

"Scar?" said Bella. "It looks fresh, surely there's something - "

"No," said Hermione, lowering her head and opening her eyes. She wanted so desperately to run, to apparate, she suspected it was why Ginny wasn't letting go. "This is it."

"Magic did that?" said Bella.

It was easy with Draco. Even after the war when the shirt came off and their collections had new acquisitions. He didn't want to talk about his scars, she didn't want to talk about hers. The only acknowledgements were pulling the other closer in moments when it didn't seem possible to be closer, when the pain couldn't be outrun, and sometimes the press of lips against the other's marks, before they were pulled away to kiss lips not scars.

"Dark magic," said Ginny.

"Dark magic?" said Bella.

"It was war," said Hermione. "Some people thought it was Dark against Light." The war was over and somehow it was still everywhere. "It wasn't so much Dark or Light, but people's intentions. A spell can be a hundred different things depending on the intention behind it." Ginny's mouth edged up in a small smile and she stroked her thumb across Hermione's hand. "Bellatrix wanted to make sure I knew what she thought of me, what other people should think of me."

"Bellatrix?" said Bella, spluttering. "Oh God, I'm so sorry."

"What for?" said Ginny, looking at Bella curiously.

"It's okay," said Hermione, looking at Bella. Hermione shrugged, a well practiced if not entirely smooth gesture. "It's not your fault."

"I was bitten by a vampire," said Bella, in a rush. She held out her hand and Hermione and Ginny saw the light catch on the subtle differences across Bella's skin. "I still have nightmares about it."

"Why aren't you a vampire, then?" said Ginny.

"Edward, he sucked the venom out," said Bella, blushing.

Hermione dug her fingers into Ginny's palm and Ginny used the nod that she was well used to using whenever she and Harry had to go to functions at the Ministry. Her self-control collapsed later that night.

"Not only is her ex, her maybe-ex, her whatever he is, a vampire," said Ginny in disbelief, "another one bit her. Bit her, Hermione!"

"You are shagging the boy who lived!" said Hermione. "The one who might have died once but we're not entirely sure and who is apparently allergic to killing curses, so if you're going to complain about the dating habits of the undead - "

"I can get past the undead part," said Ginny, holding up her hands, "but what has gone on in that woman's life that vampires go around hunting her? And biting her? And sucking her blood to save her?"

"Ginny - "

"You're really falling for her, aren't you?" said Ginny. "I realise you don't have great evidence to the contrary, but you do know it's possible to have great sex without dark forces being involved, right?"

Snape's shield disappeared and he lowered his wand.

Hermione hadn't lowered her wand.

Bella hadn't noticed until now the grace with which Draco moved. He closed what little distance there was between him and Hermione. His free hand moved across her body towards her wand arm. He rested his head against hers. She knew that Lucius wasn't about to get up. She couldn't bring herself to step away from the fight. It didn't feel like a defeat but a deferral, and she wanted him to stop.

"It won't make you feel better," whispered Draco.

Bella's gaze followed Draco's hand gliding towards the wand Hermione still clutched. They didn't radiate heat but it was as though something had melted and their bodies flowed together. Safety in each touch. Bodies that knew the other. Intimately. Hermione closed her eyes.

"We're safe," whispered Draco. "I'm here."

Bella couldn't look away, though Jacob and Alice had averted their gazes, it was enough for them that they could hear the whispers which Bella and Snape couldn't. Hermione leaned back against Draco and didn't resist when he wrapped his hand around her wrist and lowered her wand arm.

The air was easier in Hermione's lungs but Lucius's venomous gaze had unearthed depths of panic she had almost given herself over to believing were gone.

"The temptation is great, Hermione," said Snape. "To unleash a fire upon Lucius." Hermione opened her eyes to see Snape waving his wand as he walked through the cottage, sending everything back to where it should have been and repairing everything that had parted company from the rest of itself.

Alice hissed at Bella and Jacob not to gawp.

Snape stopped where Lucius lay then glanced at Hermione, and said, "You did well."

Hermione and Draco glanced at each other as if to confirm that Snape had issued praise.

"There is Calming Draught in the study," said Snape. "Fetch it."

"I don't need Calming Draught," said Hermione, straightening up.

"It isn't for you," said Snape, though he looked her up and down. "It's for Lucius, and perhaps," he looked at Bella then back at Hermione, "your friend."

"I'm fine," squeaked Bella, ignoring the fact that Jacob still hadn't let go of her.

"Indeed," said Snape, eyeing up Bella before looking back to Draco and Hermione with the irritation they were more comfortable seeing. "I have no intention of poisoning your guests. Off with you."

Hermione looked at Bella. She wanted to run to Bella, tell her she was sorry for losing control, tell her wizards and witches like Lucius weren't lurking behind every door, not really, tell her she understood if she wanted Jacob and Alice to take her home, tell her this - this was why she had aimed her wand at Bella before Ginny pulled her from Bella's world.

Hermione knew that the chance to compose herself was a gift from Snape and an order. Draco was watching her and when she nodded, he led her out of the room. Hermione glanced back at Bella, summoning what she hoped was a reassuring smile. Bella clung to the smile like a liferaft. The last time Hermione had been led away from her, there had been tears in her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Bella had done the laundry, washed and dried the dishes, vacuumed, cleaned the fridge, and hadn't given up avoiding her own mind until she was sitting on the sofa darning the corners of old scatter cushions. She pricked her finger with the needle and automatically wrapped her finger in her t-shirt. Months ago, that pin prick would have sent her into a spiral of panic. On the sofa with old cushions, the pin prick was a reminder that she was alone. No Edward to worry about yet. No Hermione to heal her. Seeing Alice was a matter of picking dates and arranging times. Jacob was wherever Sam wanted him to be.

It had been a week since Hermione and Ginny had left. Charlie worried that Bella was slipping into old ways, but she had bought time and distance from Charlie with the pretense of a particularly bad period. He had offered to run to the store for pain relief and chocolate, and when she declined, he suddenly remembered how busy his schedule was.

Bella put down her sewing, leaving the needle and thread on the coffee table, and walked outside. Her feet were bare, the grass overgrown and rain soaked. Stepping outside was like stepping into another world. Her hands rested on her hips and she closed her eyes. She tilted her head up towards the sky and wondered if she believed hard enough, that she could be somewhere else. With someone else. The breeze brushed her cheek and she leaned in towards the cool air.

It had been a day like this when she, Hermione, and Ginny were on another trek through the forest looking for a trace of Luna.

That first day, in the parking lot of Newton's Olympic Outfitters, Ginny had pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, one that had been folded and unfolded countless times. The worn creases in the paper cutting stark lines across a photo of a woman with long blonde hair, a dreamy expression, and a radish necklace. Bella hadn't seen her. Ginny and Hermione glanced at each other, not needing to say the words, the wonder of not when, but if, they would find Luna. They told Bella of Luna's expedition to find a plant. Of her note that had simply stated she was still enjoying the cutlery in America. Of how she had written she would return by the next new moon. Of how two new moons had passed without any sign of her. Harry and Ron couldn't get leave from the ministry, but pulled all the strings they could for expedited international travel and Portkeys. With Hogwarts still to be abandoned for the summer, Neville had given Ginny and Hermione what advice he could of where Luna might be. Luna's notes had been beautiful illustrated treasures, and as easy to understand as Luna. So they searched.

Bella's compass was on a lanyard that clacked against the buttons of her shirt. Ginny was somewhere above the canopy of the forest flying her broom, having convinced Hermione that no muggles would spot her. Ginny said that Bella didn't count, she already knew they were witches, and with a mischievous grin, Ginny had suggested that Bella wasn't likely to run off if left alone with Hermione. Bella kept glancing up, unable to quite believe there was a witch flying a broomstick somewhere above her.

Bella and Hermione were meant to be climbing a fallen tree. A forest giant that lay on its side covered in moss wasn't a log to be jumped over but an obstacle to traverse. Bella suspected that Hermione could have used magic. Hermione knew they could have taken a longer route, regardless.

Bella was the first to get on top, straddling the bark and moss, her feet hooked around smaller branches. She held out her hand and Hermione grabbed ahold. Hermione's foot found one of the branches Bella had used. Bella and Hermione held onto each other with a tighter grasp as Bella pulled Hermione up. Hermione was reminded of why she didn't like brooms, and this fallen giant felt like a bigger and less cooperative broom. At least it wasn't going to fly away. Hermione grappled with the tree, and Bella laughed as Hermione's hair slipped loose of its tie and billowed around her. She could have been a wild creature native to the woods if it weren't for the flannel shirt and practical boots.

Bella and Hermione didn't let go of each other and Hermione let her legs slide against the bark on either side of the tree and sat back against the giant root system which had been lifted clear of the ground when the tree had fallen. Bella bit her lip and maneuvered herself so that she was on her knees in front of Hermione. Hermione smiled, coy and curious as to what Bella thought her balance could withstand. Bella leant forward, one hand still holding Hermione's, and her other hesitating in the direction of Hermione's waist. Hermione nodded, her smile growing. Just as Bella brought herself closer, her hand on Hermione's waist, Bella's balance took its leave. Bella slipped and Hermione grabbed her but it wasn't enough, they were going down together. They both screamed. Hermione flung out a hand and cast a wandless cushioning charm. Bella's shock was cut off by the sensation of having landed on a bouncy castle, and yet all around them was forest floor. Bella realised she and Hermione were on the ground. Leaves, moss, branches. Cool sunlight and damp earth. Small rays of sunshine that penetrated the canopy. And Hermione, dirt on her cheek, hair spread across the ground. Hermione, who lay beneath Bella, who had her legs wrapped around Bella's. Hermione squeezed Bella's hand. Hermione licked her lips, closed her eyes, and laughed. She knew shock wasn't the reason her heart was racing. She felt Bella's lips against her own just as she heard Ginny calling out for them, she'd heard a scream. Bella pulled away to see Hermione still smiling. Hermione called out to Ginny that they were just fine, but they were going to need a few more minutes. Ginny's answering cackle made Bella laugh until Hermione's hand slipped through Bella's hair and pulled her closer. Bella knew they were definitely going to need a few more minutes.

Bella tried to let the pull of the forest bring her memories back richer than before. She was scared she was already forgetting Hermione. Bella ran her fingers over her hair, pulling it out of a ponytail and slipping the band from her hair around her wrist.

Hermione knew how to be somewhere else. Bella wrapped her arms around herself. She turned slowly on the patch of grass, her eyes closed again, the wet grass stroking her feet and drops of water bouncing up around her ankles. Dedication, decision, discussion. No. Bella took a deep breath and kept turning in the slow circle. Designation, dispelling, destiny. No. Bella choked back a cry, lost her balance and fell to the ground, throwing out her arms to break the fall. On all fours, her head low, her hair falling past her face, Bella sunk back until she sat on her ankles and she could curl up on the ground. Hermione was gone, and Bella didn't know where.

Bella sat on Hermione's bed and Hermione lay with her head in Bella's lap, looking between Bella and the sloping wood ceiling of the lodge. Bella toyed with Hermione's hair as if it might reveal some mystery from its bushy depths if she were gentle enough with it. Bella's other hand lay on Hermione's abdomen, rising and falling with each breath Hermione took. Bella wanted to let her hand drift further up but the butterflies stopped her even asking if Hermione might want her to.

"Where else has magic schools?" said Bella.

"France has Beauxbatons," said Hermione, pausing to see if she could admit to the magic of holidays with her parents, to wanting to return there, "and it has a long wizarding history, I mean, all countries do, but I - I want to go back there someday." Hermione still closed books and put them back on her to-be-read pile if there was a mention of France. Someday seemed like a long time away. She could barely think of France because of her parents. Parents who didn't know they had ever been parents. "Durmstrang is somewhere cold. Honestly, there's a lot of keeping to ourselves, staying in seclusion. History left a mark."

"Tell me more about Hogwarts?" said Bella. More, she wanted to know more. She could feel magic in Hermione's touch and Bella wanted to know more of the magic in Hermione's life.

"It's beautiful," said Hermione, smiling sadly. The school had been beautiful. And its reconstruction was beautiful. It didn't feel like her Hogwarts anymore. She knew that was perhaps for the best. Her Hogwarts had involved a lot of escaping expulsion. She shouldn't be doing this. Bella was a muggle. They were from different worlds. "It's in the Scottish Highlands, it would be magical without all the wand waving."

Hermione raised her wand and created bluebell flames in midair. The incantation was spellbinding in its own right and Bella could have watched Hermione's lips speak incantations for hours if it wasn't for the blue flames dancing above them. Hermione waved her wand again and the flames lowered to her hand.

"Can I touch them?" said Bella.

Hermione froze, caught off guard by the jagged feeling of not knowing. Bluebell flames didn't harm her, a muggle-born. Would they harm Bella, a muggle? Hermione didn't know. The thought of not knowing made her stomach turn almost as much as the possibility of harming Bella.

Hermione waved her wand and the flames disappeared. She sat up and Bella's hand fell from her.

"Accio," said Hermione, a sheet of parchment flew to her hand. Another few movements of her wand, and the parchment had been transfigured into red and gold tulips. Hermione held them out. "These," she said, "you can have these." Bella's eyes widened and her lips parted as she took the tulips, her fingers brushing Hermione's. "They're my Hogwart's house colours."

Bella laughed in disbelief, hesitant to touch the petals lest they disappear.

"You - you made flowers," said Bella. "You had a piece of paper and turned it into flowers?"

Hermione nodded, some of the tension leaving her. She watched Bella's fingertips brush the petals with exquisite care. Bella jumped when her grip loosened enough for the tulips to swirl. She held on tighter and ran her fingers along the stalk. It was so real. And it had been paper. Bella bit her lip. Having seen Ginny's reaction to Bella's phone, she knew calls weren't in their future, but the tulips, the tulips had given her an idea.

"Could I write you?" said Bella. "When you go home?"

"I - I suppose," said Hermione, tearing her gaze from the tulips. She should have Obliviated Bella the first time they met. Delaying would only hurt Bella more. Risk more damage. "But I'm moving after I get home, I'm not sure where, and I'll be crashing on Ginny and Harry's couch until I find a place."

"Oh," said Bella. "I could give you my address," there was an uncomfortable bubbling sensation inside her of emotions that weren't sure where to go or what to do, all she knew was that she wanted whatever she and Hermione had to not stop, "then you could write me once you're settled."

"Yes," said Hermione, absent-mindedly, running their first meeting over and over in her mind.

"Maybe I could - could come to London," said Bella, "I know travel is expensive, but I've always wanted to go there anyway." Bella watched Hermione's smile falter for a brief moment. "It wouldn't be for a while of course - "

"No," said Hermione, "I'd love that." It wasn't too late. She could Stupefy Bella now. Obliviate her. Put everything back to how it had been in her life. "Give me your address before Ginny and I leave, and we'll see what happens." Bella's smile grew and Hermione saw the exhale of a held breath. "I'd love to be able to show you London, take you to Flourish and Blotts, it's a bookshop, one of my favourites."

"How about all the bookshops in London?" said Bella, grinning.

"You'd never leave," said Hermione. This was wrong. She didn't want to hurt Bella. She shouldn't be doing this.

"What will happen to these?" said Bella. "When you're gone? Will they still be tulips or will they turn back into paper?"

Hermione transfigured the glass of water beside the bed into a vase. She reached for the vase and held it in front of Bella who put the tulips inside. Hermione put the vase back on the small table along with her wand. On her knees, she moved closer to Bella and shifted so that she was straddling Bella's lap. Bella rested her hands on Hermione's thighs. Bella's heart was racing. This wasn't being relaxed together. This was being together.

Hermione undid the buttons of her shirt and shrugged it off. Bella saw the scar on Hermione's arm and Hermione took Bella's head in her hands and pressed her lips to Bella's. Bella took the plunge and deepened the kiss. Relief flooded through her when Hermione responded in kind. Bella raised her hands to Hermione's waist, breaking the kiss to bite her lip when she felt Hermione's bare skin. A nervous laugh escaped Bella and Hermione sat up. Her smile was curious and her head tilted as she watched Bella. Bella let her hands continue upwards until they met the soft cotton of Hermione's bra. Bella leaned forward and Hermione closed the distance to kiss her while Bella's hands drifted around Hermione's back. Bella's fingers undid the clasp while Hermione's fingers grasped Bella's hair. Hermione trailed kisses across Bella's cheek and was pressing her lips to Bella's neck when she felt her bra clasp release. Bella nudged the straps down one arm and then the other. Hermione brought her lips back to Bella's when Bella took the bra from where it had bunched between them and threw it on the floor. Hermione could feel Bella's new hesitation. Hermione was about to guide Bella's hands to this new territory for them. Bella felt Hermione's smile against her lips when she let her fingers explore what she had been dreaming about.

Bella pulled her top over her head. She reached around to undo her bra when Hermione said, "Can I do it?" Hermione's hands brushed past Bella's hair and undid the clasp. Bella watched with fascination the nervous thrill in Hermione's expression. Bella knew Hermione had been with Draco for years, and now Bella realised what it meant to Hermione to be with someone else. Hermione nudged the straps down, one at a time, like Bella had. Hermione took the bra and flung it aside. It landed on the floor beside her own bra.

Hermione had been undone by Draco's touch for years. She had been the cause of his undoing for those same years. But she had never known another body like hers. She trailed her fingers across Bella's shoulders, along her collar bones, and down. Bella's breathing sped up, and she bit her lip when a moan escaped her. Hermione grinned and kissed Bella. Soon, the two women lay on the bed, their hair, bushy and sleek spread like halos around their heads. Lost in their explorations, neither of them noticed when Hermione stretched and her foot knocked the small table beside the bed, sending the vase with the red and gold tulips crashing to the floor.

Bella remembered the precise moment she knew Hermione wasn't going to write to her. The precise moment she knew Hermione wasn't coming back. The precise moment that Hermione didn't want to let herself stay even in Bella's memories.

Ginny and Hermione were holding hands, arms stretched as Ginny tried to get Hermione to follow her. They were outside the main entrance to the airport, and instead of heading towards the doors, Ginny was heading towards a bank of solid walls. In the weeks before, Hermione had told Bella how some wizarding places were visible to muggles but most weren't. Was this one of them? Bella thought there must be some indication of the hidden place if she looked hard enough. Hermione took another step in Ginny's direction and took out her wand. Ginny averted her gaze but not before Bella saw the guilt tearing through her.

"Hermione?" said Bella. Airport goodbyes were always difficult, Bella knew that, but this was different. Something was wrong.

"I'm sorry," said Hermione, and Ginny's slow walk sped up to a run and Hermione ran with her. Tears streaming down her face, Hermione pointed her wand at Bella and said, "Obliviate," before disappearing through the solid wall.

Bella rolled onto her back and the rain on the grass brushed her face, mingling with the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Hermione was gone. Hermione had tried to disappear from inside Bella. Bella lifted her aching hands and with a juddering touch traced her own body; face, neck, breasts, abdomen, hips. She let her hands drop to the grass. She could still remember Hermione's touch. Hermione hadn't wanted Bella to remember. Was Bella meant to be just a summer fling? Was she not worth remembering? Was it because she wasn't magic? Hermione was magic. Jacob was magic. The Cullens were magic. Bella flinched. She wasn't magic.

There was a crunch of branches being trodden on and Bella turned her head to see a great russet wolf emerge from the forest. He approached her with slow steps until he was towering over her. His muzzle lowered to gently nudge her head. With careful movements, the wolf lowered himself to the ground beside Bella.

Weeks with Hermione. A lifetime of discoveries in the forest, the lodge, and between the sheets. All Bella could see was Hermione's grief stricken face and the wand she was pointing at Bella. Perhaps Hermione had intended to cast a different spell despite the word that left her lips, because instead of forgetting everything, Bella remembered everything with a fierce agony.

"I miss her, Jake," said Bella, rolling over and curling up beside him. She closed her eyes and saw Hermione again.


End file.
